Bookcase construction



Nov. 23, 1965 L. R. BERGQUIST 3,219,400

BOOKCASE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 24, 1965 BY [Mae mfqmml 7 United States Patent Office 3,219,450 Patented Nov. 23, 1965 3,219,400 BOOKCASE CUNSTRUCTION Leslie R. Bergquist, 7336 Lasaine Ave., Van Nuys, Calif. Filed May 24, 1963, Ser. No. 282,897 8 Claims. (Cl. 312107) This invention relates to improvements in bookcase structures.

Due to the increasing frequency with which persons change their residence and office locations, significant improvements have been made in recent years in the art of the handling and packing of furniture, clothing, and other items. For example, professional movers are now generally provided with what may be considered portable closets which permit clothing to be conveniently transported without removing it from hangers.

Despite such recent improvements, the moving of large numbers of books is still relatively inconvenient inasmuch as the books must be transferred from bookcases to general purpose cartons, transported, and then transferred back to the bookcases. The inconvenience is of course proportional to the number of books involved and the frequency with which they must be moved.

In view of the above, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved bookcase construction which permits books to be transported without requiring the removal of the books therefrom.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a bookcase construction which not only can be used for shipping purposes, but which attractively functions as a bookcase in a home or office.

In additon to problems involved in moving books when a residence or office location is changed, many persons, for example book salesman, students, lawyers, who on occasion must carry a large number of books encounter significant inconvenience in the performance of such a task.

Consequently, it is an additional object of this invention to provide improved means for facilitating the carrying of books.

A significant feature of the invention constitutes the provision of a removable front wall which can be selectively secured to close the front portion of the bookcase or stored, by securing it to the rear bookcase wall, when books are to be displayed.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a plurality of bookcase sections which can be detachably superposed on one another to form a multitier bookcase.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself both as to its organization and method of operation, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be under stood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a pair of superposed bookcase sections constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a rear view of a pair of superposed bookcase sections; and

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

Attention is now called to FIGURE 1 of the drawings which illustrates a pair of identical superposed bookcase sections 10. Each of the bookcase sections is comprised of a substantially flat top member 12 and a substantially flat bottom member 14 extending parallel thereto. The members 12 and 14 are spaced from one another by spaced side walls 16 and 18.

The flat top and bottom members 12 and 14 and side walls 16 and 18 are perpendicularly secured to one another to form a rectangular solid. A rear wall 20 extends between the side walls 16 and 18 and the top and bottom members 12 and 14 and is permanently secured thereto. As illustrated in FIGURE 3, the top and bottom members 12 and 14 define projections 22 and 24 which extend beyond the rear wall 20.

A front wall 26 is provided and includes a reduced inner portion 28 thereby defining shoulder portions 30'. Additionally, the front wall 26 is provided with a lock mechanism 32 which is, supported in an aperture extending therethrough. The lock mechanism 32 includes a bolt portion 34 which can be slidably and vertically moved in response to the movement of a key (not shown) inserted in the lock mechanism 32. Additionally, the front Wall 26 is provided with a pair of spaced fingers 36 dependingly projecting beyond the lower shoulder 30-.

Supported adjacent the front portion of the top member 12 on the lower surface 38 thereof is a plate 40 terminating in a forwardly projecting extension 42. Supported on the upper surface 44 of the bottom member 14 are a pair of plates 46, each having an opening 48 defined therein in alignment with a different one of receptacles 50 delined in the bottom member 14.

As should be apparent, the front wall 26 is adapted to be received against the side walls 16 and 18 and top and bottom members 12 and 14 such that the shoulders 30 defined thereon tangentially engage the inner surfaces of the top and bottom members and side walls. That is, as shown in FIGURE 3, the upper shoulder 30 on front wall 26 tangentially engages the lower surface 38 of top member 12 while the lower shoulder 30 tangentially engages the upper surface 44 of the bottom member 14. By so positioning the front wall 26, the fingers 36 can be projected through the openings 48 in the plates 46 into the receptacles 50. By then sliding the bolt 34 upwardly, the front wall can be detachably secured to the side walls and top and bottom members inasmuch as the forwardly projecting extension 42 on the plate 40 engages the bolt 34 between the bolt and the reduced portion 28 of the front wall 26.

The uppermost portion of the rear wall 20 is reduced to define a shoulder 52. A plate 54 is secured to the rear wall 20 and extends beyond the shoulder 52. In addition, a pair of receptacles 56 are defined in the projection 24 on bottom member 14. J-shaped plates 58 are secured to the outer surface of the rear wall 20 and respectively extend into the receptacles 56 as shown in FIGURE 3.

In addition to the front wall 26 being adapted to be detachably secured to the front portions of the side walls 16 and 18 and members 12 and 14, as shown in solid line in FIGURE 3, it is adapted to be detachably secured to the rear portions thereof. That is, as shown in dotted line in FIGURE 3, the shoulder portions 30 of the front wall 26 can be tangentially engaged with the lower and upper surfaces respectively of the projections 22 and 24 so as to permit the bolt 34 of the lock 32 to be slidably projected toward the shoulder 52 or in other words between the plate 54 and the rear wall 20. Additionally, the depending fingers 36 secured to the reduced portion 28 of the wall 26 are adapted to be received in the J- shaped plates 58. From the foregoing, it is to be appreciated that the front wall 26 can be selectively secured to either the front or rear portions of the side walls 16 and 18 and members 12 and 14. When it is secured to the front portions, books supported on the upper surface 44 of bottom member 14 are kept safe inasmuch as unauthorized persons would not have access to the books because of the lock 32 and because in shipment, the books would be prevented from falling out of the bookcase. By unlocking the lock 32, that is by moving the bolt 34 vertically downward, access to the books could be gained by pivoting the front wall 26 about the projecting fingers 36. It is pointed out that both the openings 48 in the plates 46 and the receptacles 50 are made large enough to permit limited pivotal movement of the fingers 36 therein. Consequently, access to the books could be gained without removing the front wall 26-. When the books supported on the upper surface 44 of the bottom member 14 are to be displayed, the front wall 26 can be removed and supported on the back wall 20 in the manner shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 3. As noted, the lock 32 can be utilized to secure the front wall 26 to the rear wall 20.

The upper surface 60 of the top member 12 is provided with a pair of spaced parallel grooves 62, each groove comprised of a flat bottom portion 64 and a pair of upwardly extending inwardly tapering side portions 66. The bottom surface 68 on each bottom member 14 is provided with a pair of parallel extending tongue portions 70 which are shaped so as to be slidably received in the grooves 62.

Consequently, two sections 10 can be superposed upon one another as shown in FIGURE 1, with the tongues 70 on the bottom surface of the bottom member of the upper section being slidably received in the groove portions 62 defined in the upper surface of the top members of the lower section. In this manner, a plurality of sections 10 can be superposed upon one another to form a multi-tier bookcase.

A central portion 72 on the upper surface 60 of the top member 12 is recessed between the parallel grooves 62. A pair of spaced channel members 74 are secured in the recessed portions 72 and adapted to slidably pass the central portion 76 of a handle 78 therethrough. The terminal portions 80 of the handle 78 are enlarged so as to prevent their passage through the channels defined in the channel members 74. Consequently, the handle 78 can be flattened in the recessed portion 72 so that sections 10 can be slidably superimposed without the handle 78 interferring in the slidable movement. The handle 78 of course is provided to impart portability to each of the bookcase sections.

From the foregoing, it should be understood that an improved unitary structure has been disclosed herein which combines the attributes of book display cases and book shipping cases. Briefly, these attributes are that the structure can be utilized to display books with the front wall 26 secured adjacent the rear wall 20 or to safeguard books for shipping and other purposes when the front wall 26 is secured adjacent the front portions of the side walls and top and bottom members. In addition, since a plurality of sections can be easily assembled into a multitier bookcase structure, increased convenience of movement of the bookcase is achieved. That is, whereas a conventional multi-tier bookcase could not be moved while loaded with books, a book-case constructed of a plurality of sections in accordance with this invention could be moved without removing the books, by merely separating the sections thereby enabling an individual to easily carry each section by utilizing the handle 78 provided.

The bookcase sections of course can be constructed of wood, metal, or any other appropriate structural material. Similarly, the handle 78 could be fabricated of leather or other sufficiently strong material.

What is claimed is:

1. A housing for books and the like comprising spaced flat top and bottom members; spaced side walls secured between said top and bottom members; a fixedly; supported back wall extending between said top and bottom members and between said side walls; a rigid front wall; first coupling means fixedly secured adjacent said back wall; second coupling means fixedly secured to said top and bottom members remote from said back wall; and means carried by said front wall for selectively cooperatively engaging either said first or said second coupling means.

2. A bookcase comprising flat spaced top and bottom members; flat spaced side Walls secured between and extending perpendicularly to said top and bottom members; a fixedly secured back wall extending between said top and bottom members and between said side walls; a rigid front wall; a first hinge member secured to said front wall; a first lock member secured to said front wall; a pair of second hinge members respectively attached adjacent the front and rear portions of said bottom member; said first hinge member selectively cooperable with either of said second hinge members; a pair of second lock members respectively attached adjacent the front and rear portions of said top member; said first lock member selectively cooperable with either of said second look members.

3. In combination with a bookcase including spaced flat top and bottom members having front and rear portions and connected by a pair of fiat spaced side walls, a back wall secured to and extending between said side walls and the rear portions of said top and bottom members; a rigid front wall; first means secured to said bookcase adjacent said back wall for detachably securing said front wall thereto; and second means secured to said bookcase adjacent said front portions of said top and bottom members for detachably securing said front wall thereto.

4. The combination or" claim 3 wherein said front wall is provided with a pair of spaced projections depending therefrom and said first and second means each includes receptacles adapted to receive said projections.

5. The combination of claim 3 wherein a bolt member is secured to said front wall and mounted for slidable movement substantially parallel thereto and wherein said first and second means includes means for engaging said bolt member for preventing any movement thereof other than said slidable movement.

6. In a bookcase comprised of a plurality of identical sections, each section including spaced flat top and bottom members each having front and rear portions and upper and lower surfaces; spaced side walls secured between said top and bottom members; a rigid front wall; first means supported adjacent said front portions for detachably securing said front wall thereto; second means supported adjacent said rear portions for detachably securing said front wall thereto; and means on the upper surface of each top member. for detachably securing said top member to the lower surface of a bottom member of a different section.

7. The bookcase of claim 6 wherein said means for detachably securing said top and bottom members includes a tongue portion secured to one of said members and a groove portion for slidably receiving said tongue portion defined in the other of said members.

8. The bookcase of claim 7 wherein a handle is secured to the upper surface of each of said top members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 193,339 7/1877 'Lothrop 312-107 505,110 9/1893 Loughry 217-l1 512,496 1/1894 Autenrieth 312111 841,872 1/1907 Hunter 3l2-107 891,110 6/1908 Stevens 312-107 1,565,993 12/1925 Fitzpatrick 312-107 1,721,558 7/ 1929 Hendrickson 41 1,965,175 7/1934 Dolan. 2,735,608 2/ 1956 George.

2,860,024 11/1958 Kappel 312111 FOREIGN PATENTS 185,352 4/1956 Austria. 547,130 5/1956 Belgium. 225,167 1/ 1943 Switzerland.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Pr mary Examiner.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner. 

6. IN A BOOKCASE COMPRISED OF A PLURALITY OF IDENTICAL SECTIONS, EACH SECTION INCLUDING SPACED FLAT TOP AND BOTTOM MEMBERS EACH HAVING FRONT AND REAR PORTIONS AND UPPER AND LOWER SURFACES; SPACED SIDE WALLS SECURED BETWEEN SAID TOP AND BOTTOM MEMBERS; A RIGID FRONT WALL; FIRST MEANS SUPPORTED ADJACENT SAID FRONT PORTIONS FOR DETACHABLY SECURING SAID FRONT WALL THERETO; SECOND MEANS SUPPORTED ADJACENT SAID REAR PORTIONS FOR DETACHABLY SE- 